he could be depended on to der wilder was not the first actor considered for the starring role in "willy wonka and the chocolate factory" in 1971. ? >> reporter: fred astaire was reportedly in the running, but today, it is hard to imagine anyone else in what has become a children's classic. >> i didn't want to do him. i wanted to do comedy but i wanted to be real. same time. >> reporter: he had huge success in collaboration with richard prior. >> that's right, that's right, we bad. >> reporter: and married to hill da radner. they were married until her death five years later. helping founding gill da radner ovarian cancer detecti wells gill da's club. as he told cbs in 1975, gene wilder would delight with no regrets. >> i wouldn't change anything. >> reporter: john blackstone, cbs news, san francisco. >>> coming up on the "morning news" election breach. state voters election system targeted by hackers. >>> and talk about a close call. a transit worker risks his life ahead of an oncoming train. this is the "cbs morning news." feel 100% fresh? we don't know. we swish listerine?. as do list